Most team executives are savvy enough to not speak publicly about the possibility they will trade any player, let alone a highly coveted one like Stoudemire. That can only make other squads fully aware the team is trying very hard to get rid of him, thus lowering his value, as well as somewhat alienating that player while he’s still with the team.
That clearly happened this season with Stoudemire, far from the most head-strong athlete in the league and one who is considered by some to be somewhat selfish and egotistical. When the trade rumors re-surfaced in late January, Stoudemire admitted they were affecting his play, and it showed – he was a lot less aggressive. He averaged 18.3 points and 12.6 field-goal attempts – well below his season averages – in an eight-game span from January 16-28, and his lack of effort really showed on the glass as he grabbed just 5.5 rebounds per game.
Stoudemire bounced back nicely in early February, seemingly boosting his attractiveness to clubs considering going after him before the trade deadline. However, the deals offered apparently weren’t good enough, and Kerr said his team was better off keeping the All-Star as opposed to settling for a deal that wasn’t good enough.
Still having Stoudemire on the roster clearly makes the Suns a better team down the stretch and gives them a good shot to make the playoffs, but they really don’t have a chance to do any damage in the postseason. So the question is: what was the benefit of keeping Stoudemire? He has a $17.7 million option for next season, but it’s highly unlikely he’ll accept it considering he’s felt slighted by the Suns with all the trade rumors surrounding him in recent years.
Many of those rumors were started by Kerr, who, for whatever reason, refused to hide the fact Phoenix was trying to get rid of him. Wanting to dump Stoudemire isn’t a crime, even though he’s an All-Star. After all, the big man has had more than his fair share of injury problems and he’s not a particularly good defender or rebounder for a player of his size and athletic ability. So the Suns may be justified in not wanting to give him a maximum-type contract, something Stoudemire feels he is worth.
Even if Phoenix feels that way, there is no reason Kerr had to let everyone else know that by continuously talking about potential trade possibilities involving Stoudemire. Sure, not addressing them might be a form of lying, but honestly, not always telling the truth is a virtual necessity for general managers. Kerr failing to keep his mouth shut clearly has cost the Suns, potentially leaving a big hole in their front court and without much money to spend over the summer.
